Tens of thousands of festival revellers descended on Seaclose Park at the weekend for a 4-day extravaganza of amazing music, glorious weather and an electric atmosphere, with unforgettable headline performances making the Isle of Wight Festival 2023 one of the best yet.
This year’s festival boasted 390 incredible acts across 13 stages with a capacity crowd of some 55,000 with headline performances from Pulp, George Ezra, The Chemical Brothers and Robbie Williams, as well as Blondie, Courteeners, Sugababes, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Anne-Marie, Niall Horan, James Bay and more.
The weekend got underway on Thursday night with sets from Scottish production duo LF System and electronic music legends Groove Armada, which really got the party started for what turned out to be a largely hot, dry weekend. Thursday also saw the return of stages This Feeling, Electro Love, Hipshaker Lounge and Kashmir Cafe, as well as Cirque De La Quirk and Electric Ladyland’s Hunky Dory.
There wasn’t a wellie in sight on Friday as the Summer sunshine continued, no doubt a great relief to organisers. It was noticeably busier in the re-designed main arena when the gates opened at 14:00, with swathes of eager beavers vying for the best position.
Indie legends Pulp put on a spectacular show as the first headliner of the weekend on Friday night. Performing their greatest hits at their ‘526th Pulp show’, the band delivered an electrifying set. Earlier in the evening American high flyers OneRepublic took to the Main Stage, with great performances from The Clause, noughties favourites Sugababes, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Indie revellers Courteeners too. The night was rounded off in the Big Top as The Human League delivered a feel-good aura with their synth-pop songs.
The worlds of pop and dance collided on Saturday night as George Ezra and The Chemical Brothers headlined the 3rd night of Barclaycard presents the Isle of Wight Festival 2023. As the sun set over Newport, George Ezra delivered a delightful set, filled with his feel-good pop hits spanning his 3 Number 1 albums. Closing the night with a bang, The Chemical Brothers put on a captivating display of lasers and robots to showcase their world-renowned dance music.
Earlier in the day, chart toppers Anne-Marie and Sam Ryder both amazed the crowds with their lively energy and infectious pop tunes. 90s pop icon Gabrielle also stunned with her classic hits ‘Rise’ and ‘Dreams’, with Scouting for Girls, Girlband and Germein rounding off the Main Stage performances.
Throughout the festival weekend, the Barclaycard AMP Stage hosted a number of intimate secret sets from the likes of Sugababes, Sam Ryder, LF System, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Brooke Combe.
The good weather that had blessed the Isle of Wight made way for some rather wet showers on Sunday afternoon but this certainly didn’t dampen spirits.
Mika’s 1st UK festival appearance in 8 years was certainly not to be missed. The Lebanonese-born performer made full use of the newly-installed catwalk – despite the downpours – and even got in amongst the crowds for a set to remember.
One Direction favourite Niall Horan owned the stage celebrating his number 1 album ‘The Show’ and even played One Direction classic ‘Story of My Life’. He certainly warmed up the crowds for 80s legends Blondie, who took to the Main Stage just as the rain had cleared.
Normal service was resumed as the sun shone down on Seaclose Park once again, remaining dry for the rest of the night.
Sunday night headliner Robbie Williams certainly entertained the crowds with an emotive UK festival exclusive performance, covering many of his chart-topping hits – as well as Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’, much to the surprise of the crowds. Of course, the night was brought to an epic close with Angels, as fireworks erupted from behind the main stage. However, 2 of the solo artist’s massive hits were noticeably missed – Millennium and Eternity.
Robbie, who left the Island at around 23:45 on a private Hovercraft charter to Southsea, said: “It was the gig of a lifetime – a magic moment – thank you!”.
Manic Street Preachers closed the Isle of Wight Festival for 2023.
PHOTO GALLERY – Isle of Wight Festival 2023
You know when you are old and haven’t a clue or interest in some of the acts mentioned. However, good to see that The Human League performed.
Does anyone remember the old dance haunts on the Island during the late ’70s, early ’80s? Zanies, The Court Jester, La Babalu, Brook House, Patsy’s,
My favourite venue was Zanies, Sandown—such a variety of new wave, synth-based pop music of the time. The New Romantic era was rife where no one looked at you oddly because you were parading around with a complete slap of make-up, and that was just the blokes!
Remember seeing the Pump House gang at the Cellar in Ryde, a local punk band.
Will chat about it when, in a few short years we are having soup spoon fed to us after having a colostomy bag emptied.
Future and festivals are for the young, not those trying to re-live the past, or silly kids with even thicker parents trying to get shots of bored toddlers ‘at their first festival
Thats why we have playgrounds and parks, take the annoying bored brats there, they are only cute to you a pain in the backside to all others..
I am so glad it’s over so the Island can get back to some normality
get Fairlee Road open again.
What a cheerful soul you are!!
It’s a good job the majority are not misery guts like Trev! Roll on next year.
Could not agree more. Good riddance to them all.
I remember those venues growing up here in the 80’s / 90’s – so happy the festival is going strong because It meant I got to come home and perform to old school mates and family this year in the Kashmir Cafe. Can’t wait for next year!! Wish there had been something like this when I was a teenager. What a privilege for our tiny island. The boost to the economy must be immense. #iowfest ❤️
I wish the event was
B anned
The island have enough
D ruggies, yet alone bringing over more.
I saw a festival goer walking around Sandown, he looked away with the
F airies
Not to forget Barnies and the Ryde Queen.
Ah, yes, Barnies; I was banging my head trying to remember the name. And, of course, the Ryde Queen. Many happy memories of going to the Ryde Queen and hitching a lift back to Ryde after the party.
In hindsight, hitching a lift late at night while walking towards Wootton wasn’t the greatest. I’m sure plenty of readers on here did the same. I wouldn’t do it nowadays or advise anyone to do it, either.
Two stand pipes for water in the main arena it was a joke queued for 30 mins to fill up a bottle.
Sam Ryder only on for 30 mins due to some mess up he was very apologetic and did his best.
Too many idiots taking picnic blankets and chairs in the pit area, then moaning if people stood on their blankets. If you want to sit down, go to the safer areas. Robbie was great, as was Scouting for girls.
What was that chair thing about? looked like an old people’s day out
Just a shame about all the poor people being spiked, the awful security team not even doing their job, not conducting searches, and ignoring reports, the poor treatment from the medical team as reported by many.
All part of the fun, right?
I worked the festival at the weekend and am now doing cleanup, about 4 different firms doing security, big proportion of “imported” bodies who hardly spoke english and did not have a clue, most of the scottish team were great but the “imports” on cleanup are a waste of space, don’t acknowledge you and don’t speak english, should not be in the country as they can’t be on the wage scale set by government to be working here, would love to be enlightened by someone.
I used to go to the early festivals when the headliners were the like of The who, Bowie, Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters ect when there was a mix of different music, Now it seems its just turned into a top 40 type festival which i have no interest but good luck to those who like it, not for me any more.
Does anyone know how much Wightlink increased their fares during the festival?
Would be nice to have a breakdown of where the ‘£10 million pounds boost to the Island economy’ that was mentioned in the news, is actually coming from?